Happy Mother’s Day Rob and Steve

Some of you may know that May is not an easy month for us. Dottie transitioned on May 1 and Jo on May 24. And then of course in the middle is Mother’s Day.

But today, the Universe gave us a unique, strange –yet wonderful Mother’s Day Gift.

We worked the student massage clinic today. We each had three appointments–10:30, 11:45 and 1pm. We both get a little nervous before the massages since in many ways we are still just trying to figure out what we are doing and how to make it come through our hands. Our treatment rooms where number 6 and 7 –right next to each other. We only had 15 minutes between sessions so it gets a bit chaotic. Especially because I am slightly time challenged and always go over 5 to 8 minutes giving me very little time to get the room changed for the next client. I’m working on it. 🙂

After massage number two Steve comes up to me and says; ” have you seen our next two clients? One is old and the other one is even older. I think they are together.”

Up to this point, the most mature individual either of us had touched was approximately 60. For us these days, that is youthful and getting even more so.

Steve helped me get my room set and we went out to greet our clients together. Marian and Sue Middendorf. Marian is 87 years young and her oldest daughter Sue. Marian was my client and Sue was Steve’s. Sue said she would have to help her mom get undressed and onto the table and then go next store for her treatment with Steve. So we stood outside while the ladies got undressed and ready for their massages. Steve turned to me and said,—“so you got Dottie”. He was right on. There were so many similarities—-unbelievable. And although she was a different air sign, their natures were so similar that it was like being with my old friend again. Marian had just lost her husband two months earlier and tears flowed as she told me. Her shoulders were in bad shape from lifting him for the last 17 months and she was looking for some relief.. She warned me that she might fall asleep. I assured her that if she did I would take it as a compliment. So for an hour we visited and I massaged her exquisite body. I felt so honored to have this opportunity. It was so much like massaging my mom that I felt altered and euphoric in many ways. To touch your hands again……..

So after the treatments, Steve and I again where in the hall as Sue helped her mom get dressed. Steve said, ” I cried in there. Sue’s hands and forearms where just like my moms. Smooth and milky white. It was great. I started with her right arm, cried, moved to her legs and then to her left arm and cried again.” Then we agreed to see the ladies off before we let lose all the emotions that we were both feeling. We both felt it coming on.

So as we walked our new/old friends out to the front desk, I told Marian that I would like to work on her again. ” Honey, I’m not from here, I am visiting from Delaware.” I said I’m not from here either, I am from Kentucky.” She said, “that’s where my husband is from and we lived there for years, in Covington.”

It gets even closer to home folks. There cousin was the parish priest at Corpus Christi where my whole family went to school. Fr. Middendorf was a close friend of Dottie’s. She was always a big fan of his and I think he was of hers. Wild huh?! I think both Marian and Sue were a little surprised at the synchronicity also.

Marian looked at me and said–“please tell me you know what goetta is”

“Sure I do. I used to love it.”

Then she touched me on the arm and said, “thank you for being so kind to me.”

Marian, the pleasure was all mine. Believe me.

Happy Mother’s Day Dottie and Jo. Your baby boys are sending you love. Thanks for the visit today. It was the perfect gift.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers who read this. May you know someday the impact you have on your creations.

Steve an Rob…..Your story / experience made me cry………I miss Mom so much and Thank her everyday for giving us life……I hope that as the years go by, I can have the strenght and integrity that she displayed,,,Love you both Your sis, Kathy